With the increasing popularity of cellular phone communications, managing the calls to and from cellular phones has become increasingly complex. Cellular phone systems typically include a cell face (or antenna) mounted on an antenna tower receiving calls from cell phones. Typically, a cell face receives calls within an associated geographic coverage area called a cell. An antenna tower can have multiple cell faces oriented at different angles to handle calls originating from multiple directions around the antenna tower. A process is employed in order to choose a cell face that handles the call from each cell phone.
The process of selecting and switching among cell faces involves the use of data that designates available cell faces. This data is referred to herein as cell face transfer data. One form of cell face transfer data known in the industry is a Directed Retry List (DRL). The DRL cell face data is typically used to select a cell face when a call is attempted from a cell phone. When the call is placed, if all the channels of an initially selected cell face are being used or if the signal strength is weak, the caller will get a busy signal, indicating that no channels are available to carry the call. When the caller gets a busy signal, the call is lost. To maximize revenue, the phone company must minimize the occurrence of lost calls. The DRL is used to minimize the number of lost calls. If the call signal strength is weak, the DRL is accessed to select another cell face in the same vicinity. As another example, if all of the radios of a cell face are in use and the cell face cannot handle an incoming call, the DRL is accessed to select a cell face in the area that can handle the call. Because of factors such as voice channel blocking or weak signal strength, a call may be denied service at a cell site. A DRL offers an additional chance for success to setup attempts that are denied service. When the DRL is active at a cell site, the cell site directs the cell phone to retry its setup attempt at another cell site in the near vicinity.
One problem with the current approach is that cell face transfer data is updated manually. Cell face transfer data must be updated when a new cell site is built providing new cell faces. The new cell site and cell faces affect existing cell face transfer data, particularly for adjacent cells. The current approach to updating cell face transfer data is to manually enter the new cell site and cell face transfer data into a database. Manual entry of the data is time consuming. Adding to the problem of manual entry are multiple cell face transfer data formats. The effort and time required for manual entry is compounded when multiple cell face transfer data formats are used. Data entry personnel must first enter the data in one cell face transfer data format and reenter the same data in other cell face transfer data formats.
With the advancement of telecommunications, numerous technologies are now used. Multiple forms of cell face transfer data have been developed and are used to provide data specifically designed for each of the technologies. For example, a form known as Cell Equipage Face (CEQFACE) is typically used in conjunction with the Advanced Mobile Phone Service (AMPS) technology, while a form called Reselection (RESEL) is used with Time Division Multiple Access (TDMA). A number of problems have emerged as a result of multiple cell face transfer data formats.
Another problem is that data is often entered only in one cell face transfer data format associated with one technology. Thus, new available cell face data is frequently not available in all technologies. For example, typically CEQFACE forms are updated with new cell face information, but RESEL forms are not updated. As a result, cell faces that are available for TDMA users are often not selectable because those cell faces are not in the RESEL cell face transfer data. Thus, available cell faces are not used efficiently. Manual data entry is also error prone. Errors become even more likely when the data entry personnel must reenter the same data multiple times in multiple formats. Consequently, errors in the cell face transfer data can result in cell faces being used that are inappropriate for a call. When cell face transfer data is updated only in one format or errors are made during data entry, the cell face transfer data in each of the formats is different.
Therefore, there is a need in the art for an automated system and method for reconciling cell face transfer data in different forms, thereby enabling more efficient and effective use of cellular antennas. Preferably, the system and method will conform to one or more Directed Retry List (DRL) forms, such as CEQFACE or RESEL, and will enable selection and hand off to cell faces.